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Centuries ago, explorers searched for a trade route from Europe to Asia, navigating a treacherous maze across the Arctic to find an elusive Northwest Passage.

Since then, few adventurous souls have braved the passage under their own power, and none has been able to do it in a single season.

But that could change as four men are set to embark Canada Day on an 80-day rowboat journey through the most cantankerous climate zone on the planet in the spirit of adventure and in an effort to reveal the shocking effects of climate change on the Arctic.

Meet the crew: There’s Kevin Vallely, an architect whose adventure resume includes some of Canada’s most harrowing expeditions; Paul Gleeson, an Irish cyclist and rower; and award-winning Canadian environmental filmmaker Frank Wolf. The fourth is Denis Barnett, also Irish and a team rookie who Vallely says brings “the wide-eyed enthusiasm of a neophyte” to the expedition

The 3,000-kilometre journey in an eight-metre rowboat will begin in Inuvik and wind through Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories to Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Along the way, they’ll contend with deadly threats such as unexpected storms, wild animals and bitter cold.

While expeditions to highlight global warming are not new for B.C. explorers — Gulf Islands resident Tim Harvey spent two years travelling around the world under his own power to raise awareness about the issue — this will be the first time anyone has been able to undertake an expedition because of global warming.

“This has never been done before because it never could be done before,” he said. “The reality is there is less and less ice.”

Fifteen years ago, Vallely was mulling over what he called the “last great firsts” left to conquer as an adventurer, and he came up with the idea of traversing the Northwest Passage by human power in a single season.

But he didn’t believe it could be done. There was too much ice. Until now. So last year, he and adventuring cohort Gleeson assembled the four-man team with the idea of making the trip in a rowboat — while at the same time filming a documentary to show the world what has happened in that region because of global warming.

“We are hoping when and if we pop out the other end that people will say ‘wow 20 years ago you needed an icebreaker, now these guys rowed it in a thin-hulled rowboat? What the hell is happening up there? That is what I am hoping we can show, then in a way we are taking our gesture of an adventure and connecting with people in a unique way,” said Vallely.

Since no one has ever done the route quite like this before, Vallely couldn’t study past accounts or train with the masters, but he’s certainly not heading out unprepared.

The outdoorsman has trekked through Alaska, Yukon, several jungles and holds the record for the fastest unsupported trek to the South Pole.

Their trip is sponsored by clean energy firm Mainstream Renewable Power, something Vallely is proud of given the nature of the expedition, and the team had a special rowboat designed and built for the harsh conditions by Vancouver Island kayak designer Robin Thacker.

The hull is shaped more like those of a Viking boat or a large kayak and is much flatter and rounder than a traditional rowboat, explained Vallely. “If we are ever in ‘a bit of bother,’ as Paul would say, we could haul it up on the ice.”

If all goes to plan, they’ll row straight through the entire trip, with two men taking four-hour shifts at the oars, while the two others rest.

The boat, which has already been tested for capsize safety, is loaded with survival gear: an inflatable raft, drysuits, flares, guns and dried food, including more than 700 power bars.

Roald Amundsen made the first successful crossing of the Northwest Passage from east to west between 1903 and 1906. He finished by anchoring near Herschel Island at the mouth of the Mackenzie River and skied 800 kilometres to the city of Eagle, Alaska to send a telegram announcing his success.

Several explorers have done the trip under human power, but not in a single season.

In 1990, Canadian adventurer Don Starkell journeyed north by kayak from Churchill, Man. and then west to Tuktoyaktuk. The trip lasted three seasons and had to be terminated 50 kilometres short of its planned completion point at Tuktoyaktuk, because he got frostbite.

Starkell lost the tops of his fingers and some of his toes.

Victoria Jason, the first woman to paddle the passage solo, did it in four years, while another paddler, Jonathan Waterman, did it in three.

Canadians Jeff MacInnis and Mike Beedell accomplished the first wind-powered crossing of the Northwest Passage over three summers in the late ’80s.

“People have sailed it, but most people who sail do it under motor (power) and it’s very different,” said Vallely. “If you get into a dicey situation with ice and you’re not sure it’s really nice to have motor because you can turn around and get out. When you are rowing you can’t go faster than the ice. So we are exposed and vulnerable and that ramps up the difficulty and the commitment.”

Vallely said the team hopes to add one more voice to the call for global action on climate change, adding that maybe if enough people keep hammering the message, people will take notice.

“We have the capacity to think ahead for generations and, darn it, you know we have that responsibility to do something. I have kids. What do I say to them in 20 years, ‘sorry I just didn’t care?’”

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Tackling the Northwest Passage — in a rowboat (with video)

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